1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a housing, more particularly to a housing with a card-retention capability.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a portable computer has a receptacle for holding a card, such as a name card. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,592,361, a tray is inserted into a receptacle located between a bottom surface and an applique affixed to the bottom surface for holding a card. However, the tray is a separate component produced by molding, thereby resulting in an increased high production cost. Furthermore, the applique and the tray are exposed from the bottom surface, thereby resulting in wearing thereof during use.
Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide a housing with a card retention capability that can be produced at a relatively low cost and that has a cover component which does not wear easily.
According to the present invention, a housing with a card-retention capability includes a housing body and an elongate flexible transparent cover.
The housing body includes a wall that has an outer surface and an inner surface opposite to the outer surface in a first direction. The outer surface is formed with an elongate card-receiving recess that extends in the first direction and that has front and rear ends opposite to each other in a second direction transverse to the first direction. The card-receiving recess further has a recess bottom. The outer surface is further formed with a first cover-restricting flange that extends in the second direction from the front end of the card-receiving recess and that cooperates with the recess bottom to form a cover-receiving slot, and a second cover-restricting flange that extends in the second direction from the rear end of the card-receiving recess and that is formed with a tool hole communicated with the rear end of the card-receiving recess. The first and second cover-restricting flanges cooperatively form a card opening that is adapted to permit placing of a card on the recess bottom. The inner surface is formed with a cover-manipulating recess that extends in the first direction to communicate with the rear end of the card-receiving recess.
The cover has a front cover portion and a rear cover portion opposite to the front cover portion in the second direction. The cover is removably disposed in the card-receiving recess via the card opening such that the front cover portion extends into the cover-receiving slot, such that the rear cover portion is disposed between the tool hole and the cover-manipulating recess, and such that the cover is adapted to prevent removal of the card placed on the recess bottom via the card opening.
As such, when a tool is inserted into the tool hole to force the rear cover portion into the cover-manipulating recess, the cover will flex to remove the front cover portion from the cover-receiving slot, thereby permitting removal of the card placed on the recess bottom via the card opening.